private collections (e.g.

the Bressans of Brueggen and

Recorder modifications Hunt) offer no view at all through the windway, but
instead one sees a faint halo of light under the curved
In search of the expressive recorder labium.
Move head joint in direction of arrows to determine whether
any 'view' is possible.
ALEC LORETTO
Eye
and line
of sight

not to scale

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The following article is the first in a series which will discuss
Fig. 1 .
in non-technical language some of the characteristics of
recorders and how players with modest woodworking ability
It might be imagined that all one need do to make an
may modify their own instruments. The articles cover modi-
inflexible instrument more flexible is either to
fications to windways and the making of blocks. They do not
deal with matters related to the labium, to the changing of
(a) make a new block ensuring that it is higher than
finger hole positions and shapes, nor do they cover modifica-
the original, thereby decreasing the distance between
tions to the bore, all of which have some influence on the
the upper and lower surfaces of the windway, which
matters under discussion.
in turn will decrease the view or
(b) modify the original block by glueing to its
surface a thin piece of wood which will have the same
Ask a player of modem recorders to list some of
effect as (a) above.
the important qualities he requires his instrument to
possess, and the chances are he will certainly There are many other factors to consider however,
mention good intonation, an interesting sound, ease one of the chief being the size of the 'step'. The step
of speaking and smooth slurring. Often overlooked can be defined as the difference between the levels of
because most modern recorders are almost the lower surface of the labium and the upper surface
completely devoid of this quality, is flexibility. In of the windway. Fig. 2 illustrates this.
these articles flexibility refers to the ability to achieve
a wide and easily heard dynamic range using changes This distance is the step Windway exit

..I /y
/Upper surface
in the breath pressure only. Try this test with a treble of windway
recorder. Play a note in the middle range of the
instrument, say A 0 12345 and achieve as good a ^sc —y Windway.
and direction
if
sound as possible. Try it with various breath of airstream

pressures, greater and lesser, until in your opinion, it Lower surface Block

is the best possible. Now play it again producing the

of labium '(
not to scale
best sound and try a gradual diminuendo, followed
by a gradual crescendo using only breath pressure Fig. 2.
changes. If the intonation suffers almost A little thought will make it clear that if the step is
immediately, your instrument lacks flexibility. If large, raising the lower surface of the windway will
however, a range of breath pressures produces a not materially reduce the distance between the lower
range of dynamics, the instrument possesses some and upper surfaces of the windway, at the windway
flexibility. Try using other notes. A rough and ready exit. And the size of this exit is another factor
indication of flexibility can be obtained by removing influencing flexibility. Having studied and carefully
the head joint and looking closely into the windway measured instruments over several years certain
towards the light. Move the end of the head joint broad conclusions can be reached. For example, the
slowly up and down as shown in Fig. 1 and attempt instruments of six well known modern makers could
to look out of the end where the middle section be classified thus:
would normally fit. A 'view' of nearby objects
Treble recorders with small steps that can be made more
generally indicates that the instrument is not flexible.
flexible — Coolsma, Moeck Rottenburgh, von Huene.
It is interesting to note that most of the museum
Treble recorders with large steps that generally fail to become
instruments in The Hague, and instruments in
moreflexible— Dolmetsch, Fehr, Petzold.
107
 NEW ISSUES FOR RECORDER

10 BICINIEN OF THE 16th CENTURY Tr. and Ten. Playing Score 75p
JAKOB REGNART German 3-part songs Desc. Tr. and Ten. Playing Score 75p
12 PIECES from the GLOGAUER LIEDERBUCH for Desc. Tr. and Ten. Playing Score 75p
MELCHIOR FRANCK German Secular Songs and Dances

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In 2 Volumes. Vol. 1-Desc. Tr. Ten. and Bass Score & Parts 90p
Vol. 2—Desc. 2 Tr. and Ten. Score & Parts 90p
ANTHONY HEDGES Count Down. 5 Easy Pieces for Tr. Rec and Piano £1

BREITKOPF & H&RTEL (LONDON) LTD.,

8 Horse & Dolphin Yard,
London, W1V7LG
Telephone: 01-437 3342

trameoirib
RB3 Josquin des Pres, La Spagna
for five instruments ATTBB.
Of all the surviving settings of this famous basse danse tune, Josquin's is undoubtedly the finest. It is a work of
marvellous rhythmic subtlety, and sounds particularly striking on a consort of crumhorns or other reed instruments.
One frequently hears of crumhorn players complaining that they have no "great" music to play—well, here it is.
Alto suitable for recorders and any other renaissance wind.
Score and parts, 45p

GMI Paul Lutkeman, Fantasia "Innsbruck ich muss dich lassen"

for five instruments SSATB.
In this fantasia the beautiful old melody seems to have inspired the composer to write a work of some distinction.
The "Innsbruck" fantasy sounds particularly well on three cornetts and two sackbuts (trombones),, but is also
eminently suitable for strings or recorders.
Parts are available for (a) recorders (b) strings (c) cornetts and trombones.
Score and one set of parts, 35p (extra set of parts, 15p)
Please add 10p for postage on orders less than £1.50

42 Christchurch Avenue, London NW6

108
 This classification might at once cause readers to
apply to the above six instruments such words as Early Music
'better' or 'worse', whereas the correct word to apply
is 'different'. All makers have their own ideas about from Cur wen, Lawson-Gould
the qualities they want their instruments to possess,
and had our search been for loudness and not & Roberton
flexibility the classification might have read as
follows: HERE AND NOW
Loud instruments — Dolmetsch, Fehr, Petzold.
Softer instruments — Coolsma, Moeck, Rottenburgh, BUXTEHUDE: Das neugeborne Kindelein, SATB
and organ or orchestra
von Huene.
COSTELEY: Mignonne, SATB unacc
Loudness by the way, must not be confused with

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DE SERMISY: Tant que vivray and Vous perdez
the ability to be always audible. The oboe is not the temps, SATB unacc
loudest orchestral instrument but is one of the most Venez regrets and La, la, maltre Pierre,
penetrating. Often recorders display this character- SATB unacc
istic, softer ones being more easily heard. HANDL, JACOB: Resonet in laudibus, SATB
Readers might ask if there is any relationship unacc
between loudness and flexibility. Generally speaking LASSUS: Elgrillo, Je I'aime bien and/e n'en
there is, one often precluding the other. One might dirai mot, SATB unacc
further ask if there is a difference in design between Ich weiss mir ein Meidlein, SATB unacc
Mon coeur se recommande a vous, SATB
loud and flexible instruments and if so, does it
unacc
influence makers? Again, generally speaking, there is O belle fusa, SATB unacc
a difference in design mainly concerning windway MONTEVERDI: Lagrime d'amante al sepolcro
shape and size. More often than not loud dell' amata, SATB unacc
instruments have a large windway at both entrance PURCELL: Hear my prayer, O Lord, SATB with
and exit, with the labium situated around the centre optional organ
of the airstream, with a fairly large step and an open Now O Lord, I lay me down, SATB ace
view. A flexible instrument generally has a smaller Three short anthems, SATB unacc
windway entrance and exit with the labium situated SCHUTZ: Cantate Domino, SATB with ad lib
low down in the airstream, with a small step and accompaniment
restricted view. Because a loud instrument allows a Two dialogues, SATB and piano or organ
greater margin of error in construction than a VECCHI: Canzonetta, SATB unacc
flexible one, it might be argued that it is easier to WEELKES: O mortal man, SAATB unacc
build and thereby influences makers. But it is
probably more correct to say that makers produce TOMORROW AND THE DAY AFTER
loud instruments because they like them that way, ALL COMING IN 1973
and because such instruments are prone to give less
trouble when played in a variety of climates and Works by Brudieu, Brunetti, Buxtehude, de
temperatures. Slight variation in size of a large wind- Victoria, Des Pre's, Michaels East & Praetorius,
way will hardly affect the instrument at all. The same Schein, Vecchi, Carlo Wiseman and Youll
variation in a smaller windway might prove Green Shield stamps given for information
disastrous and render the instrument unplayable. about Carlo Wiseman, dead or alive
But in spite of all this one can sometimes come
across an instrument that combines flexibility with a
Please let us know who's who where's where and
full, rich tone. To play such an instrument, either of
what's what and we'll put your name on our
modern or earlier construction is an experience one
mailing list
never forgets. And it explains in part why such
instruments command a price regarded as
impossible only a few years ago. In my next article I
will discuss windway modifications and the making Roberton Publications
of new blocks, all in an attempt to make the recorder
more expressive.
The Windmill, Wendover, Aylesbury, Bucks
109
 Masterworks of the 16th and
(Gamut Publications Ltd.! 17th Centuries edited by
Joseph Muller-Blattau

Specialists in the Bk. I. Four- to six-part Motets by

Senfl, Orlando di Lasso
supply of published and Stobaus
EARLY MUSIC BA 2641 85p

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Bk. II. Motets for four- to six-
and parts by Josquin, Senfl and
MUSICAL LITERATURE Orlando di Lasso
BA 2642 85p
also instruments and records.
Hitherto inaccessible works are here made available
Please write for recent lists: for performing practice. The way in which the
composers articulated and fashioned their music in
No. 25 Lute Music order to express emotion is shown by the separate
No. 26 Consort Music commentaries in the notes.

Cambirodge Music Shop)

All Saints Passage, Cambridge CB2 3LT 32 Gt Titchfield St
Telephone: Cambridge 0223 51786
London W1P7AD

RECORDER MUSIC
BIBLIOTHECA ORGANOLOGICA 70 vols
FROM FRANCE
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Jeux de Flutes Vol. I 34p
SOURCE MATERIALS & STUDIES
„ „ „ Vols. II-V. . ." 53peach
Duos for Recorder and Guitar 75p
IN ETHNOMUSICOLOGY 3 vols
with record £1.20
Airs and Danses for'Recorder and Clavcin 75p
THE FLUTE LIBRARY 14 vols
Adaptation d'Airs et de Danses Anciens 90p
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49 Solos and Ensambles from 13th to
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110